International community invited to Mozambique Donor Conference

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International community invited to Mozambique Donor Conference

4:32 CAT | 17 May 2019

Photo: Domingo

The official Mozambican delegation participating in the Sixth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2019) has thanked the international community for the assistance it has provided to the country in response to the damage caused by cyclones Idai and Kenneth.

The Deputy Minister of State Administration and Public Administration, Albano Macie, took the opportunity to invite the international community to participate in the Conference of Donors to be held in the city of Beira, Sofala province, on 31 May and 1 June.

Deputy Minister Macie reminded those present that the two cyclones that struck Mozambique within a six-week period had killed 651 and affected about 1.9 million people.

“These cyclones have destroyed a vast array of social and economic infrastructure, especially in the health and education sectors, as well as roads, bridges and manufacturing facilities,” he said.

He also said that, with the support of international partners, the government had immediately implemented measures to locate and rescue affected people. Given the magnitude of the cyclones’ impact, particularly that of Cyclone Idai, the government had decreed a national emergency and a period of national mourning.

“We want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the international community for the solidarity it has shown through its support in this crisis and for its general work,” he said.

He emphasised that the solidarity expressed was broad and had included search and rescue operations, material aid, medicines and food, not only immediately after the disasters, but also in the context of post-disaster recovery measures.

Macie said that, in order to address the destruction caused by these two cyclones, the Mozambican government had set up a Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Office with the task of evaluating the damage and losses caused by the cyclones and assessing and planning reconstruction needs.

“In order to achieve post-cyclone reconstruction goals, the government is preparing an International Donors Conference to be held in the city of Beira on 31 May and 1 June, in which the international community is invited to participate and provide the necessary financial support,” he said.

At the same time, he reminded those present that, as a result of its geographical location, Mozambique was permanently exposed to the risk of natural disaster. In response to this challenge, he said, the Mozambican government had adopted measures in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, including the implementation of studies and research on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and approval of the Master Plan for Risk and Disaster Reduction for the period 2017-2030.

This Disaster Reduction Master Plan, Deputy Minister Macie explained, is a legal framework for disaster management which provides an alert system and facilitates the coordinated response of all civil protection bodies and institutions.

The sixth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2019) ends today in Geneva, Switzerland.

By Jorge Rungo